Giacomo Meyerbeer’s visit to Paris in 1825 was to revolutionise opera. By imposing the Grand Opera genre, the composer made History the pivotal theme of 19th century operatic productions. Les Huguenots is a monumental fresco featuring various impossible loves in the context of the Saint Bartholomew Massacre. First performed at the Paris Opera, the work celebrated its centenary there in 1936, after more than a thousand performances, before being stowed in the archives of the Palais Garnier – the “grande boutique”. For its revival, Andreas Kriegenburg places these timeless conflicts of love and religion in an immaculate setting in which the costumes appear yet more flamboyant and the victims’ blood more violently red.
A frequent visitor to the site, baritone Florian Sempey could not miss the return of this title to the Opéra national de Paris , where he will play the role of the Count of Nevers. He will return this season, first to Garnier for Dandini (La Cenerentola), then again to Bastille, for Papageno (Die Zauberflöte).
After a season that was overwhelmingly rossinian, the 2018/2019's season saw Florian Sempey's only appearance as a Barber of Seville at the Opéra national de Bordeaux-Aquitaine, a theatre that is particularly close to his heart and in which he also gives an evening recital.
Florian Sempey's season is also marked by two important roles: the title role of Hamlet (Ambroise Thomas) at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and that of Escamillo (Carmen) with the Orchestre national de Lille, conducted by its conductor Alexandre Bloch.
Finally, we can hear him soon (10 and 11 November 2018) in Lelio ou le retour à la Vie (Berlioz) at the Musikverein in Vienna, with the Wiener Symphoniker under the direction of Philippe Jordan, then in May 2018 in the same work at the Philharmonie de Paris, with the orchestra Les Siècles, conducted by François-Xavier Roth.
After making his debut there a few months ago in the role of Remendado (Carmen), tenor François Rougier returns this season 2018/2019 to the Opéra national de Paris for three productions, in the roles of Cossé (Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots, with Florian Sempey), Gastone (La Traviata) and again Remendado (Carmen). Still in Paris, but this time at the Opéra-Comique, he also sings the role of Hector de Boispréau (Offenbach’s Madame Favart). He also takes part in the stage re-creation of Grétry’s Raoul de Barbe-Bleue (role of Vergy) in Trondheim in Norway and gives - after Grenoble last season - the reading recital Voix intimes 14-18, alongside Alexandra Lacroix and Agnès Rouquette, at the Opéra de Limoges. He also continues this season his collaboration with the MPDA - Alexandra Lacroix Company for the creation of an in situ participatory piece accompanying the transformation of the Chapelle Charbon railway site at Porte de la Chapelle in Paris.
Les Huguenots, Giacomo Meyerbeer
Opéra national de Paris, France
from 25 September au 24 october 2018
Lelio ou le Retour à la Vie, Hector Berlioz
Barbe Bleue, Jacques Offenbach
Trondheim, Norway
14 November 2018
